This invention relates generally to feed processing systems and more particularly to feed processing systems that grind, mix, and blend animal feed material.
Feed processing systems are often packaged either to be transported on the back of a truck or installed as a stationary unit. The systems are meant to be operated by one person. Feed materials of various types are fed into the system where first grinding either by a hammermill or by a roll-mill, is accomplished; second, a mixing of the materials occurs; and third, simultaneously, with the mixing operation, a liquid feed material is sprayed onto the ground materials and blended. Unground concentrates may also be added during the mixing and blending process. Finally, the thoroughly mixed feed is drawn off either directly for bagging or to storage bins by way of a pneumatic apparatus. Several different types of feed materials are mixed and blended in a feed processing systems in particular designated quantities that are recommended through scientific evaluation of nutrient needs for particular animals. Some typical materials are ear corn, grain, whole bales of various kinds of feed, molasses, vegetable oils, and concentrated additives.
It is to be particularly noted that in order for the domestic animals being fed the feed mixture to thrive, there must be a complete and thorough mixing of all the materials entering the processing system before the mixed feed is drawn off for bagging or storage. Even slight disproportions in the mixed feed drawn off results in some animals being overfed certain minerals, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, and so on and in other animals being underfed the same ingredients.
In addition, temperature is to be kept low in a feed processing system since chemical changes in the feed can occur if the system heats the ingredients to certain ranges.
To accomplish the task set forth above, mixers employ augers and agitators of various positions, configurations, and rotational speeds in order to achieve a complete system that accomplishes the mixing task with a maximum of thoroughness of mixing and blending and with minimum of power consumption and a minimum of temperature elevation.
A patent that teaches a mixing apparatus for fluid feed material is U.S. Pat. No. 3,129,927 issued to Mast Apr. 21, 1964. An apparatus including a mixing tank 10 with four movements is described therein, namely, first, a horizontal spiral conveyor 27; second, a pair of vertical spiral conveyors 44; third, a horizontal agitator 53, and fourth, a pair of upper rotating radial arms 52. Without going into a detailed discussion here, Patent '927 also describes blade configuration and direction and bars 59, on paddles. An important feature of such a feed processing system is the rotational speed of each of the four movements. Such speeds are not discussed in Patent '927. It is known in the art, however, that the following speeds applied to the following movements: the bottom horizontal spiral conveyor, or auger: 119 rpms (average of 110-130 rpms); vertical conveyors, or augers: 172 rpms; horizontal main agitator: 102 rpms (average of 90-110 rpms); upper, or leveling, paddles (in lieu of radial arms 52): 117 rpms. There can be a 5-10 rpm variance in these speeds depending on the types of feed being processed.
Certain configurations of the augers and agitators are known in the art other than those of Patent '927. One such set of configurations is as follows: the bottom auger has a 9 inch vane diameter with a 9 inch spacing between the blades with paddles at the center of the mixer; the vertical augers are all 9 inch flutings; the top, or leveling, array has 7 paddles from end wall to end wall; and the paddles of the main agitator has all the paddles parallel to the shaft.
Although prior art feed processing systems perform fairly well, nevertheless, more economical, faster mixing and blending operations are desirable and possible. Lower fuel consumption would result. An altered drive can reduce friction and bearings and gears.
Feed processing systems of the type being discussed here include a hammermill or a roll-mill as the situation requires. A typical hammermill is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,799 granted to Urban, July 26, 1977.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved feed processing system that will improve the speed and economy of present feed processing systems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved feed processing system that includes more advantageous configurations of the bottom, horizontal aurger, the vertical auger, the top, leveling augers, and the main, horizontal agitators.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved feed processing system that includes more advantageous rotating speeds for the bottom, vertical, and leveling augers and the main agitator than prior art speeds.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a mixer for evenly disbursing and thoroughly mixing many materials normally used in the feeding of farm livestock and industrial products.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mixing system for mixing feed materials and liquids such as molasses and proteins that can be evenly disbursed and uniformly blended into the various materials being mixed.
The improved feed processing system in accordance with the present invention comprises a system for mixing and blending industrial and feed materials including a feed mixing tank having opposed upright inner and outer end walls and opposed side walls secured to opposed top and bottom walls; a pair of vertical augers rotatably mounted between the top and bottom walls at the center portion of the mixing tank for conveying the feed materials upwards in the mixing tank; a horizontal bottom auger rotatably mounted between the inner and outer end walls for conveying the feed materials towards the pair of vertical augers at the center portion of the mixing tank; a horizontal agitator rotatably mounted between the inner and outer walls axially aligned over and spaced from the bottom auger for agitating the feed materials at areas proximate to the inner and outer end walls and for conveying the feed materials towards the pair of vertical augers at the center portion of the mixing tank; a horizontal top auger rotatably mounted between the inner and outer end walls of the mixing tank and axially aligned over said agitator and spaced proximately below the top wall of the mixing tank for conveying the feed materials outwardly from the pair of vertical augers at the center portion of the tank towards the inner and outer walls of the tank; and a pair of drivers associated with the mixing tank for rotating the vertical augers, the bottom auger, the horizontal agitator, and the top auger.
Each of the pair of vertical augers has a lower flight of spiral vanes and an upper flight of spiral vanes, the diameter of the upper flight being slightly larger than the diameter of the lower flight. The diameter of each upper flight is preferably approximately 12 inches and the diamter of each lower flight is preferably approximately 9 inches.
The bottom auger includes bottom inner and outer flights of spiral vanes of opposite hand so that as they are rotated convey the feed materials from the inner and outer end walls to the pair of vertical augers at the center portion of the tank. The inner and outer flights of the bottom augers have a preferable diameter of 9 inches and have vane sections spaced at approximately 6 inch intervals.
The horizontal agitator includes a horizontal shaft having an agitating arm at each end of the shaft proximate to the inner end wall and the outer end wall of the tank and inner and outer single-section auger flights of opposite hand positioned on opposed inner and outer sides of the pair of vertical augers. The inner and outer auger flights are rotated to convey the feed materials towards the pair of vertical augers.
A horizontal top auger has a pair of top inner and outer flights of spiral vanes that extend from a position spaced from the inner and outer end walls to the pair of vertical augers. The top inner and outer flights are of opposite hand and are rotated to convey feed materials from the pair of top augers outwardly toward the inner and outer end walls of the tank.
The bottom auger rotates at a slightly slower speed than the palr of vertical augers. The bottom auger preferably rotates at an approximate speed of between 155-175 rpm. The pair of vertical augers preferably rotate at an approximate speed of 167 rpm. The horizontal agitator shaft rotates at an approximate speed of between 30-40 rpm. The speed of the top auger preferably rotates at an approximate speed of 36 rpm.
The purpose of the present invention is to achieve a high degree of efficiency of mixing industrial and feed materials. Efficiencies of the following magnitudes have been achieved through use of the present invention: